Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics
| Cryptococcal Meningitis: Patients and Episodes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total No. of patients | 236 | |
| Total No. of episodes | 283 | |
| 1 | 236 | (83%) |
| 2 | 37 |
(13%) |
| 3 | 8 | (3%) |
| 4 | 2 | (1%) |
| Variable | No. With Data (of 236 Patients) |
Value, Median (IQR) Unless Otherwise Stated |
| Baseline characteristics of patients (restricted to 1st episode of cryptococcal meningitis) | ||
| Age, y | 234 | 36 (32–42) |
| Male sex, % (No.) | 236 | 69 (163) |
| Headache, % (No.)a | 155 | 86 (134) |
| Vomiting, % (No.)a | 151 | 54 (81) |
| Visual disturbance, % (No.)a | 155 | 35 (54) |
| Symptom duration, da | 119 | 7 (5–14) |
| Glasgow Coma Scale score <15, % (No.)a | 155 | 40 (62) |
| Focal neurology, % (No.)a | 154 | 14 (21) |
| CSF opening pressure, cm H2Oa | 94 | 38 (28–48) |
| India ink, % positive (No.) | 235 | 89 (210) |
| CSF protein, g/dL | 194 | 0.74 (0.47–1.38) |
| CSF glucose, mmol/L | 195 | 2.3 (1.5–2.9) |
| CSF white cell count, cells/µL | 229 | 10 (0–62) |
| CSF lymphocyte, % | 105 | 98 (90–99) |
| HIV and TB status | ||
| Prior diagnosis of HIV, % (No.) | 236 | 75 (177) |
| Time from HIV diagnosis to CM, mo | 217 | 14 (2–63) |
| On ART at CM diagnosis, % (No.) | 181 | 45 (81) |
| Time from ART initiation to CM, d | 181 | 217 (40–1095) |
| Baseline CD4 cell count, cells/µL | 192 | 39 (17–82) |
| Previously treated for TB, % (No.)a | 152 | 26 (39) |
| Current on TB treatment, % (No.)a | 151 | 9 (13) |
Abbreviations: ART, antiretroviral therapy; CM, cyptococcal meningitis; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; IQR, interquartile range; TB, tuberculosis.
aThese data were derived from paper records. Paper records were retrieved for 64% (180/283) of CM episodes, or 66% (156/236) of patients. Note that the results in the table are restricted to the first episode only in individuals who had more than 1 episode of CM. The overall results of these paper record variables for each episode of CM (ie, including both first and relapse episodes) are given in the text.